ETERNAL 
CONFLICT 


FREDERIC 

ARNOLD 

RUMMER 


THE    ETERNAL  CONFLICT 


vitAx/u^,    ^i^H^ta^/L^^i. 


.   OF  CALIF.   LIBRARY,   LOS  MGELES 


ETERNAL 
CONFLICT 


FREDERIC 
ARNOLD 
RUMMER 


COPYRIGHT    IQ07 


PUBLISHED    BY 

A.  W.  ERICKSON.  127  DUANE  ST..  NEW  YORK 


To 

YOU" 


New  York 

January   First 

1907 


2130678 


THE  ETERNAL  CONFLICT. 

In   Thy  circling  arms  of  green 
On  Thy  breasts,  O  sullen  Queen, 
Sinuous  and  serpentine 
Lie    the   Hills.     Unshaken   They, 
Though   Thou  wastest  Them  away, 
All  are  They  Thou  canst  not  be, 
Treacherous  and  cruel   Sea, 
Grim  they  stand,  defying  Thee, 
Steadfast  to   Eternity. 

In  Thy  arms  I  lie,  O  Sea, 
Hating  Thee   and  Loving  Thee, 
Wanton  jade  in  green  and  blue, 
Treacherous  in  every  hue. 
Back  I  push  Thee  from  my  shore 
Evermore  and  evermore ; 
Yet    God   wedded   Thee    and   me. 
Hold   me    closer — closer,    Sea, 
I  shall  die  in  loving  Thee. 


THE  LOSER  WINS. 

The    loser    wins ;    the    down-turned   thumb, 

The  world  forever  shows, 
Yet  he   who,   smiling,   breaks   the  sword, 

A  greater  victory  knows. 

The  fight   is  cruel,  bloody,  long, 

Yelp,  curs,  and  take  your  toll. 
The  loser  wins,  who  keeps  through  all 

An  undefiled  soul. 


THE  HYMN  OF  THE  ELECT. 

We  thank  Thee,  Lord,  oh  God  of  Hosts, 

Loud  may  our  praises  sound ; 
In  every  ill  Thou  sendest  us 

A  blessing  may  be  found. 

We  thank  Thee,  Lord,  for  many  fools 

If  thus  a  few  be  wise; 
If  all  the  world  had  equal  wit, 

How  could  we  hope  to  rise? 

We  thank  Thee,  Lord,  for  many  poor, 

If  thus  some  rich  may  be; 
For  thus  may  we  assist  them  with 

Our  blessed  charity. 

We   thank    Thee,    Lord,   that    sinners    are 

As   sands  upon  a  beach; 
For  thus  may  we,  a  chosen  band, 

Thy  Gospel  to  them  teach. 

In  other  words,  we  thank  Thee,  Lord, 

That  they  are  not  as  we ; 
For  only  that  they  thus  are  not 

Enables   us  to  be. 


HEREDITY. 

I  saw  a  small  and  clumsy  boat 

Strained   on  by  ceaseless   toil   and  pain, 
Of  one   who  failed  and   failed  and  failed, 

Yet  strove  and   strove  again. 

I  saw  a  canvas-clouded  ship, 
With  lofty  spars,  sail  swiftly  by; 

I  heard  the  toiler  in  the  boat 
Ask  piteously — Why? 


LIFE. 

I   saw   a   ship  upon  a  mighty  sea; 
"Whence   comest  thou,"   I   hailed ;   they    answered   me, 
"The  port  from  which  we  sailed  we  do  not  know; 
"We  left  it  far  behind  us,  long  ago." 

Again   I   hailed,   "Where   goest  thou?"   I   cried; 

The  hoary  captain  wearily  replied, 

<cWe  sail  ahead,  but  why,  we  cannot  say, 

"And   shall,  till   ship  and   sea   have  passed   away." 


FAITH. 

The  living,  breathing,  conscious  "I" 
Says  to  itself,  I  cannot  die. 
My  soul,  so  Godlike,  shall,  afar, 
Win  to  the  outermost  faint  star 
Of  this  vast  universe,  and  then 
My  conscious  self  shall  live  again. 
This  wonderful,  unending  "ME" 
That   I,   and   I   alone,    can   see 
Round  which  the  universe  sublime 
Swings   to  the  beat  of  endless  time. 


KNOWLEDGE. 

Thou  maggot,  drest  in  human  form, 

Thou  atom,  driven  by  a  storm 

So   vast,   unthinkable,   divine, 

Its  faintest  concept  is  not  thine, 

Why  waste  thy  trifling  span  of  time 

In  chattering  of  faith  sublime, 

In  where  thou  wilt  or  wilt  not  go? 

Ask    thyself   this — what    dost    thou    know? 


FRIENDSHIP. 

Through  the  gentle  valley  of  peace 

The   river   of   friendship   flows, 

A  quiet  stream   with  an  even  tide, 

Closely   folded   on   either   side 

By  the  loving  arms  of  the  valley  wide, 

As  on  to  the  sea  it  goes. 

The  sky  itself  is  not  so  blue 

As  the  silent  depths  of  this  stream  so  true. 


LOVE. 

Through  the  peaks  of  the  Infinite 
There   rushes  the  river  of  love, 
A   roaring  torrent  of  joy  and  pain, 
Plunging  to  Hell  in  its  course  insane, 
Then  rising  in   splendor   to   Heaven   again, 
Seeking  the  glory  above. 
Which  of  the  two  will  fulfil  our  dream — 
The  torrent  wild  or  the  quiet  stream? 


EASTER. 

Ten   thousand  sweet-voiced  church   bells   ring, 
Ten   thousand  surpliced  choirs   sing; 
All  men  to  Him  their  burdens  bring, 
I  stand  with  mine  apart. 

The   burden   He  could  take  away, 
Through  all  the  weary  days  I  pray, 
That  He  may  let  forever  stay 
Deep   buried    in   my   heart. 

Dear  Burden,  I  shall  hold  you  fast 
Through  all  the  future,  as  the  past, 
I  should  a  pauper  be  at  last, 
If  you  and  I  should  part. 


16 


THANKSGIVING. 

Great  God  of  Earth  and  Field  and  Sky, 

Of  Rock  and  Sand  and  Sea, 
I  thank  Thee  for  the  priceless  gift 
Thou  givest  me. 

Yet,  God,  I  could  have  thanked  Thee  more 
Hadst  Thou  but  given  it  before. 

In  all  Thy  realms  of  underworld. 

In  all  Thy  stars  above, 
The  greatest  thing  Thou  hast  is  mine — 
A  woman's  love. 

Yet,  God,  why  give  a  beggar  meat 
And  then  forbid  that  he  should  eat? 

Though  every  law  of  God  and  man 
Our  happiness  defer, 

Yet  more  than  all  I  thank  Thee,  that 
Thou  gavest  Her. 

Dear  God,  who  made  me  breathe  and  live, 
Wilt  Thou  refuse  the  thanks  I  give? 


JUDGMENT. 

Before  God  came  three  Souls. 

To   the   first,   God   said: — 

"Man,  thou  hast  sinned  beyond  all  forgiveness, 

Eternal  suffering  is  thine. 

Go!" 

To  the  second,  God  said : — 

"Woman,  though  thou  thinkest  thou  has  done  but  little 

evil, 

Yet,  for  the  good  thou  hast  not  done 
Thou,  too,  must  eternally  suffer. 
Go !  therefore,  with  the  man  thou  hast  not  nurtured 
And  suffer  with  him." 
To    the    third,    God   said:— 
"Woman,  through  thy  love  for  this  man 
Thou  hast  suffered  enough. 
Go  in  peace — thy  punishment  is  over." 
But  the  third, 

Seeing  the  two  passing,  hand  in  hand, 
Through  the  gates  of  Hell, 
Fell  upon  her  knees,  and  wept  bitterly,  saying, 
"Ah,  God !  God ! 
My  punishment  has  only  just  begun." 


18 


ASHORE. 

I'm   sick  o'   the  rottin   smell  o'  the  shore, 

I'm  sick  o'  the  love  of  a  bloomin'  whore, 

And  I'm   sick  to  my  bones 

O'  the  pavin'  stones, 

An'  of  every  damn  thing  I  see. 

An'  I  longs  for  a  breath  o'  the  clean  salt  air, 

An'  I  longs  for  the  decks  when  my  feet  is  bare, 

An'  I  longs  for  a  gale, 

An'  a  shortenin'  sail, 

Aw,  Gawd,  how  I  longs  for  the  sea! 


y 


PASSION. 

Those  who  guide  their  passions  right, 
With  a  rein  that's  always  tight, 
Drive  a  simple  one-horse  shay 
That  could  never  run  away. 

Passion  is  a  whirlwind  blast, 

Wild  and  furious  to  the  last; 

Those  who  have  the   strength  to  guide  it 

Are  the  ones  who  never  ride  it. 


OPPORTUNITY. 

From   infinite    Future   to    infinite    Past 

The  sands  in  the  hour  glass  run, 
Yet  however  long  thy  life  may  last, 
Of  a  myriad  moments — eternity  vast — 
Thou  canst  grasp  but  a  single  one. 


IN  A  COPY  OF  TENNYSON. 

With   Tennyson   and   you,   I    sing 
The  Idylls  of  the  old  world  King 
Who  still  maintains  his  knightly  sway 
O'er  every  human  heart  to-day. 

In  working  times,  these  things  may  seem 
Part  of  a  far-off,  idle  dream; 
Yet  it  may  do  us  good  to  look 
Sometimes  within  this  little  book. 


BUTTERFLIES. 

Scattered  rose  leaves,  blowing  skyward 
Ere  their  sweetness  dies, 
Gathering  life  from  out  the  sunshine, 
Turn  to  butterflies. 
White  and  yellow  in  the  clover 
Dotting  all  the  green  fields  over. 


THE   TIDES    OF  LIFE. 

In  mists  of  night  the  sun  has  set, 
The  bare  rocks  face  the  driving  rain, 

The  tide  is  out — with  break  of  day 
It  will  return  again. 

In  mists  of  night  my  love  has  gone, 
The  ebbing  tide  brings  bitter  pain, 

The  tides  of  life  are  in  God's  hands, 
They  will  return  again. 


A  DREAM. 

We  stood,  you  and  I,  on  a  fair,  smooth  beach, 

On   a  beach  of  golden  sand, 
Whence  the  blue  sea  spread  to  a  far-off  shore, 

To  the  shore  of  the  Promised  Land. 
From  the  beach  there  quivered  a  shining  path 

Through  the  sea,  like  a  silver  rod, 
And  far  beyond,  at  the  pathway's  end, 

Flamed  the  Light  of  the  Throne  of  God. 

We  had  thought,  you  and  I,  with  our  love,  to  fare 

Through    the   pathway,   straight   to   the   Throne, 
But  the  golden  day  in  a  flash  passed  away, 

And  we  felt  that  we  were  alone. 
With  a   darkening  storm  the  sea  was   swept, 

And  naught  of  the  path  was  there; 
The  Golden  Light  of  the  Throne  was  gone, 

The  stones  of  the  beach  were  bare. 

Yet  we  knew  we  must  breast  it  together,  love, 

Through  the  storm  and  the  stress  of  Life, 
Shoulder  to  shoulder,  you  and  I, 

Through  that  ocean  of  Pain  and  Strife. 
Together,  hands  clasped,  we  shall  find  our  way 

As  we  could  not  find  it  alone, 
Till   the  pure  in  heart  shall   come  again 

To  the  footsteps  of  the  Throne. 


THE  SONG  OF  HASSAN. 

As   the  countless  stars  of  the  night  are  my  thoughts 

of  Thee— 

Oh  Rose  of  a  Thousand  Perfumes, 
As  the  shadows  of  the  palms  go  forth  at  the  setting 

of  the  sun — 
So  goes  forth  my  love  unto  Thee. 

The  Lovers  sit  upon  the  house  tops  and  play  upon  the 

lute — 
I  gather  my  robe  about  my  heart,  lest  they  hear  its 

song. 

I  go  forth  into  desert  places,  where  no  man  dwelleth — 
And  there,  Oh  Allah,  I  cry  unto  Thee. 

The  palm  tree  whispers  to  the  night  wind,  Where  art 

Thou? 

And  she  answers  softly.  I  am  here. 
The  bul-bul  calls  unto  its  mate,  and  she  comes — 
The  voice  of  the  tiger  sounds  from  among  the  rushes— 
And  lo ! — his  mate  is  beside  him, 
While  I,  Oh  Allah,  am  alone. 

How  long,  then,  must  I  call  unto  Thee— 

Thou  who  knowest  that  the  soul  cannot  always  endure? 

Soon  must  I,  too,  go  forth  to  seek  my  mate — 

She,    the   pure,    the    strong, 

She,  the  Pearl  of  a  thousand  hues — 

That  Thou,  Oh  Allah,  has  made   for  me. 


Soon  shall  I  look  for  the  last  time  upon  the  land  of 

my  fathers, 

Leaving  all  that  has  been  to  no  longer  be — 
Since  what  is  written  must  surely  come  to  pass. 
For  when  I  call,  Oh  Allah,  will  she  not  come  to  me — 
Even  as  the  tiger  to  its  mate? 
Then  shall  we  go  forth  together  under  the  stars — 
Forsaking  the  ways  of  men. 

Then  will  there  be  no  longer  what  was — nor  that  which 

shall  be, 

But   only   that   which   is. 

Hear  me,  Oh  Allah,  for  the  time  draws  nigh, 
The  sands  in  the  glass  run  slowly, 
The  wings   of  the  hours  are  of  stone. 
Yet  the  days  of  youth  pass  swiftly. 
Each  day  that  goes  down  into  the  west 
Comes  not  back  again. 
Yet  surely  the  time  draws  nigh. 
Then  shall  I  lift  up  my  heart, 
Oh  God  of  my  Fathers, 
And  shout  for  joy — 
For  as  the  river  to  the  sea, 
As  the  sun   unto  the  west, 
As  the  soul  to  Paradise, 
So  shall  I  go  to  Her. 
Selah ! 


-'7 


AT  LAST. 

I  hear  a  ceaseless  talk  of  Life  Eternal, 

Of  joy  divine,   and    suffering   infernal, 

Of   mighty  hopes — of  happiness,    relying 

Upon  a  glorious  dream  of  Fame,  undying, 

Of  gold  and  purple  sham — of  fortune's  blessing, 

Of  toiling,  scheming,  grasping  and  possessing, 

My  soul  responds  no  longer  to  that  call; 

At  last  within  my  arms  I  hold  my  all. 

Dear  love,  so  long  we  two  have  been  apart, 

Kiss  me  again,  my  dearest,  dearest  heart. 


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